Earth Smart's guide on when to plant your vegetables and fruits.

Posted: May 08 2017

Curious to know when to plant your garden vegetables? read the guide below for some great tips!

January# It's time for garden catalogs to arrive in the mail. January is a great time to start planning what vegetable varieties will be grown in the garden. Look through your catalogs and find the vegetable seeds for your garden. Some flower varieties should be started in January. In a warmer environment you can plant certain vegetables but must be ready for a frost. Indoor herbs are always great to grow in a sunny windowsill.

Tomatoes and Peppers Get a head start on the growing season by starting your tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate zone!

Onions Late January is a great time to start your onion seeds indoors if you live in a warmer gardening zone (6-10) For zones 1-5 start your onion seeds in mid-late February. Let the onions grow to 5-6 inches tall and cut tops off so they will be only 3 inches. Repeating this until they are transplanted helps strengthen the roots and health of the onions.

Herbs Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs.

Annual and Perennial Flowers Now is a great time to get your spring flowers germinating and ready for spring! There are many different varieties of annuals and perennials with different grow times. Pay attention to grow times so that your flowers are ready to be planted after last frost. Below are some good varieties to start in January for a last frost in March and April!

February Get your garden planning started. In some warmer locations you can begin sowing your vegetable seeds outdoors. For cooler areas, February is a great time to sow your tomatoes and peppers. Start drawing out your garden for all the vegetables you want to grow. In late February there are several cool weather vegetables you can directly sow out in the garden.

Broccoli If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!

Herbs: Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.

Lettuce Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for spring crops until the lettuce begins to bolt in the summer sun.

Onions Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.

Peppers Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds 8-10 weeks before your last frost date indoors for best results.

Tomatoes The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! Start seeds 6-8 weeks before your last frost date indoors for best results.

March March is the perfect time to get those tomato and pepper seeds started indoors ready for an early spring planting! Also a great time to start planting those cool weather vegetables that can withstand those last frost days of March and April.

Beets Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.

Broccoli If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!

Cabbage Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.

Carrots Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.

Corn One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Herbs: Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.

Lettuce Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.

Melons Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.

Onions Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.

Peas Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.

Peppers Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.

Spinach Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and will produce until hot weather of summer. Planting in early March will ensure you have plenty of harvest before bolting.

Summer Squash Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.

Tomatoes The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!

April Yes, Yes, Yes! April is finally here and your garden soil is finally warming up! April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost. It's still not too late to plant tomatoes and peppers from seeds as well. Check out the below vegetables that can be started in April. Be sure to check your gardening zone for last frost dates. Beans: Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.

Beets Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.

Cabbage Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.

Carrots Planting carrots by April will give an early summer crop.

Corn One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Herbs: Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.

Lettuce Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.

Melons Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.

Onions Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.

Peas Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in April, and will produce a May crop.

Peppers Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.

Summer Squash Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.

Tomatoes The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!

May Finally warm temperatures are here to stay and you don't have to worry about that frost. You may think it's too late to grow all your favorite vegetables from seed but warm May temperatures have made the soil perfect for sowing seeds. Warm soil will allow for fast germination and growing plants. Good choices are summertime kitchen garden staples like squash, beans, cucumbers and melons.

Beans: Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.

Beets Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.

Cabbage Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.

Carrots Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.

Corn One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Herbs: Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.

Melons Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.

Peppers Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds indoors for best results.

Summer Squash Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.

Tomatoes The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! You may want to think about buy transplants in May.

June Most fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should already be in the ground. Many vegetables though will grow and produce even more quickly from seed planted in early summer when the soil is well warmed up and teeming with life.

Beans: Beans are great for a June planting. Fast growing in warm soil will give you a crop in as little as 35 days with some varieties.

Beets Sow beets now for a fast, mid-summer treat.

Cabbage Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.

Carrots Planting carrots by mid-June yields a late summer crop that will keep in the garden until used.

Corn One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Herbs: Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.

Melons Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.

Peas Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a great summer crop of fresh, crisp peas.

Summer Squash Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.

July There are still some great crops that can be planted that will keep your garden pumping out vegetables well into the fall.

Beans: Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.

Broccoli Broccoli can be planted in the fall to produce a crop well into November.

Carrots Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.

Corn One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties. Last practical date to plant any corn variety is the first week in July. Must plant an early maturing corn variety.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Kale Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.

August August is an ideal time to plant seeds for a second gardening season that can be as productive as your major early spring plantings. Late summer is the time to plant these vegetables and herbs.

Beans: Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop. Early August is the last practical sowing date.

Cover Crops:

A great way to add nutrients to your soil for the following year is by growing winter cover crops this fall. Start in August so they get some good growth before winter comes.

Cucumbers Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.

Flower Bulbs August is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring.

Kale Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.

Lettuce Sow lettuce in August for a fall crop. Try growing early harvest varieties that will produce a harvest before cold weather rolls in.

Peas Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in August, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.

Radish A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.

Spinach Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in August.

September Although September marks the beginning of fall, there are still a few fast growing vegetables that can be planted this month and be harvested before the first frost in most gardening zones. Remember to keep your soil warm by removing all mulch and maybe try using a plastic sheet to trap heat into the soil. Try these vegetables below and you can still take advantage of your garden this fall.

Blueberries Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.

Broccoli If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest well into November.

Flower Bulbs September is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring.

Garlic Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.

Radish A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.

Spinach Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in September.

October Fall is here and many vegetables don't have enough time to develop before your first frost. There are still a few vegetables that can be planted in October.

Blueberries Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.

Flower Bulbs October is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring.

Garlic Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.

Herbs Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs.

November Don't be sad, you can still grow a lot of different plants inside. This is a great time of the year to clone some of your outside plants or grow them from seed indoors. Grow herbs on the windowsill!

Herbs Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs.

Indoor Plants Growing flowers indoors can be a good way to pass the winter months. Try growing an indoor Amaryllis flower kit. These beautiful flowers will brighten up your house and give off a nice aroma.

Sprouts

Growing sprouts indoors is fun, quick and a great way to spruce up salads and sandwiches. It doesn't take much effort but you still get the reward of growing your own food.

Vegetables If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over.